Eau Claire 6 – Brainerd 2

Gera Sanchez (New Mexico JC) improved his record to 2-0 on the season and the Express improved to 6-1.  The Express defeated the Brainerd Lunkers 6-2 in game one of a two game series. Sanchez, who made his first start since opening day, pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out seven batters in his work.  The Express scored both early and late as the offense continued to give enough run support to its pitching staff. Joe Bonfe (Sierra College) continued to swing a hot bat and led the Express with three hits.  Robbie Knight (Creighton) added two hits in his second game this season with the Express and four other players added one hit apiece. The Express also only committed one error on the night as they continue to play solid defense behind the pitching staff. Catcher Nate Hammes (St. Cloud St.) was the lone bright spot in the Brainerd lineup as he contributed half the teams’ hits with three.

Thunder Bay 3 – Green Bay 2

Thunder Bay overcame Zach Varce’s outstanding pitching performance and a ninth inning rally, to hold on for a 3-2 win Wednesday night at Port Arthur Stadium. Green Bay (3-4) made a late charge in the ninth frame behind Paul Hoenecke’s (UW-Milwaukee) second home run of the season. The Bullfrogs put five men on base throughout the inning, but their rally fell short after getting caught stealing, grounding out and striking out. Varce (Portland) stuck out 12 Border Cat batters, but it wasn’t enough as he was tagged with the loss in seven innings on the mound for Green Bay. Matt Robertson (Barton CC) picked up the victory after tossing eight innings and striking out seven. Chris Marlowe (Navarro College) earned the save for his efforts, striking out one.

Mankato 5 – Rochester 4 (14 Inn; Completion of Suspended Game on 5/29)

Mankato 13 – Rochester 5

In an unorthodox doubleheader, the Mankato MoonDogs took a pair of games from the Rochester Honkers Wednesday evening. The MoonDogs won their suspended game from May 29 with a Danny Miller double in the bottom of the 14th, then followed it with a 13-hit, 13-run barrage, as they took game two 13-5. Miller (Minnesota State) ended the first game less than 20 minutes in, as his slicing double down the left field line brought in Jimmy Patterson (Central Arizona) for the winning run. Game two was all MoonDogs, as they tagged starter Bret Mitchell (Iowa Central) for eight runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings. Cody Fick (Evansville) took center stage for the MoonDogs, as the sophomore went 4-5 with three RBI and a run, falling a triple short of the cycle. Chris Murrill (Nicholls State) was also a catalyst, going 2-5 with two runs and three RBI from the leadoff spot. Miller also posted two RBI and “The X,” Xorge Carillo (Central Arizona) scored three runs and drove in two.

Madison 8 – Waterloo 5

Joe Yermal’s first start of the season was a dandy as the Mallards came away with an 8-5 victory over Waterloo Wednesday night in front of 4,683 fans at the “Duck Pond”. Ben Long homered for the second straight night and third time this season in helping Madison to its fourth win in a row. Yermal (Charlotte) went six innings, allowing only two runs on five hits in earning his first win. Kyle Heim (Iowa), Dan Burawa (St. John’s) and Kevin Cahill (Purdue) combined to close things out, surrendering three runs over the final three innings. Jerrud Sabourin (Indiana) led an 11-hit attack with a 3-for-3 effort, but it was Long (UW-Milwaukee) who provided the big blow in the third inning with a home run to the opposite field, a 3-run lined shot over the right field fence.

Wisconsin 7 – Duluth 5

The Wisconsin Woodchucks (3-4) used timely hitting and a strong pitching effort from Kyle Gumieny (Southeast Missouri State) to hold off the Duluth Huskies (4-3) for the ‘Chucks first road victory of the season by a final score of 7-5. Mike Mutcheson (New Mexico JC) had two hits and two RBIs, while Gabe Sandersius (Dallas) had four hits to lead the way offensively for the Woodchucks. Gumieny got the win after he went seven innings and allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits while striking out six. He retired the final 11 batters he faced. Jeremy Brewer (Central Arkansas) came in to finish up, as he got the save after giving up one run in two innings of work.

St. Cloud 4 – Alexandria 3

Two streaks came to an end Wednesday at Joe Faber Field.  The Beetles four-game win streak was snapped, and the River Bats five game skid came to an end. Barely. The Beetles trailed by two heading into the ninth inning, but after scoring one run with one out, the Bats were able to keep the bases loaded to end the game. David Deminsky (St. Cloud State) earned the win for the Bats, his second of the year; the only two games St. Cloud has won this season.

La Crosse 2 – Battle Creek 1 (10 Inn.)

Logger fans are starting to get use to Aaron Gates (Pepperdine) coming up big in big situations.  The freshman first basemen did it again on Wednesday night in front of 2,612 fans at The Lumber Yard, this time delivering a one out, RBI single to plate the winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning and make the Loggers a 2-1 winner over visiting Battle Creek. Loggers starter Aaron Dott (UW-Whitewater) locked up with Bomber starter Josh McElwee in a classic pitcher’s dual as they held each team scoreless through four complete innings.  Battle Creek would manufacture a run in the fifth off of Dott, but the Loggers answered right back in the sixth with one of their own via the long ball from rightfielder Justin Preckajlo (North Florida). The score would remain tied until the tenth. Gates would deliver with a looping liner to centerfield to score pinch-runner Morgan Mickan (Texas) and pick up the extra inning victory for the Lumbermen. Kyle Simon (Arizona) was brillant in relief of Dott, tossing five innings of one one-hit, scoreless baseball to earn the win in his 2009 Logger debut.